Means for distributing actuating fluid in engines.



W. A. WOODESON. MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING AcTuATlNG FLUID 1N ENGINES.

APPLlCTION FILED UGT-1|. 1917. 1,301 ,025, Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. A- WOODESON. MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING ACTUATING FLUID IN ENGINES. APPucATloN man Vocr. n. 19u.

1,301,025. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

5 SHEETSMSHEET 2 v W. A. WOODESON.

MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING ACTUATING FLUID IN ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. II, 19H.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W. A. WOODESON.

MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING ACTUATING FLUID |N.ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. I'I. I9I1.

1,301,025. v Patented Apr. 15,1919.

5 SHEETSv-SHEET 5.

l WILLIAM ARMSTRONG VVOODESON,` OF GATESHEAD, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING ACTUATING FLUID VIN ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

Application filed October 11',` 1917. Serial No. 196,019.

T0 all whom 1f/may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM ARMSTRONG WooDEsoN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Gateshead on-Tyne, in the county of Durham, England, have invented Improvements in Means for Distributing Actuating Fluid in Engines, of,which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in means for distributing actuating fluid (hereinafter referred to as steam) to engines of the kind comprising a main distributing valve and an auxiliary or pilot valve of which the auxiliary valve is moved mechanically, and the main distributing valve, after it has been placed in equilibrium owing to the movement of the auxiliary valve, is also moved mechanically for a certain portion of its stroke completion of its stroke being effected by steam under the conltrol of the auxiliary valve.

Now according to the present invention both the main and the auxiliar valves are of the piston type and the fina movements of the main valve are effected by steam acting directly on its ends. The construction and arrangement of the distributing means i is such. that the auxiliary valve, which is actuated from the engine piston through suitable mechanism, is adapted by such movement to move the main valveto its mid position and to control steam supply and exhaust ports and passages in such manner as before moving the main valve to place said valve in equilibrium by allowing steam to act on its opposite ends, `and as while moving the main valve, to release steam from the end toward which it is being moved so that the steam acting on its other end will complete its movement thereby considerably reducing the wear and tear of the external parts of the valve gear.

Referringto the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section illustrating one arrangement of main distributing valve with auxiliary valve according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is asimilar view but with parts in.l

different positions.

Fig. 3 shows in elevation the two valves removed from the valve casing; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the valves.

Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate a modified construction, Figs. 5 and 6 being longitudinal sections on tJhe lines A B C and A B D, Fig. 7. Fig. 7 a cross section on the line E F Fig.

.5, and Figs. 8 and 9 detail views hereinafter referred to.

Figs. 10 and 11 are longitudinal sections illustrating another modication.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged View` of Fig. 1 and Fig. 13 is a section on the line X X Fig. 12.

In this arrangement, a cylindrical steam chest 1 with steam inlet and exhaust branches 2 and 8 is fitted with a liner 4, the steam inlet being connected by a passage 5 with steam inlet ports 6, 62L to the valve chest disposed near but not at the ends thereof7 otlher ports 7, 7a in the valve chest between said inlet ports communicating through a passage 8 with the exhaust and others 9 and 10, between the inlet and exhaust ports 6, 7 and 6 and 7 at each end, with the engine cylinder, through passages 92L and 10a. 11

A is the main valve and 12 the auxiliary valve both reciprocating in the liner. The main valve 11 is in the form of a long piston with an annular chamber or port 11anear each end, and with a slot 11b in the middle to receive the auxiliary valve 12 which is in the form of a piston with two flats to suit the slot in the main valve (see Figs. 3 and Pairs of ports 13 and 14 are formed in the opposite sides ofthe auxiliary valve and communication or balance passages 15 connect tlhe opposite ports of each pair.

The auxiliary valve spindle 16 extends through the end of the steam chest for actuation from the engine piston through a lever arrangement which is not shown as it is well understood.

Various controlling ports and passages are situated at the back of the liner.

At one side there are passages 17 and 18 communicating through ports 17a and 18a with the respective ends of the valve chest and extending toward its center, where each communicates through a pair of ports 17", 17C and 18h, 18Iz with the valve chest the two pairs of ports being so disposed longitudinally of the valve chest that one of eac'h pair of said ports will be in communication with the respective ports 13 and 14 in the corresponding side of the auxiliary valve when said valve is in its extreme positions, but that as the auxiliary valve moves from one extreme position to the other the pairs of ports in the liner will be temporarily closed successively. At the other side of the valve the piston rod crosshead engages the valve 21 is greater thanthat between the two mid- -dle ports 17 b and 18h.

As the area of the valve spindle 16 is exposed to steam pressure, the spindle is connected by a'leverv26 to a, balancing piston 27 contained in acylinder 28 connected with vthe steam chest by a passage 29 and a port -29a in the liner, so that the exposed spindle is balanced under all conditions and any possibility of the auxiliary valve spindle dropping when tlhe steam chest is used inthe vertical position prevented.

Assuming the main valve 11 to be at one end of the steamy chest in Fig. 1 the lower yend,-so that steam passes through the cham- Vberorport 11aM near its one end from the inlet port 6a at that endof the chest to the engine cylinder through the port 10 and passage 10a, and from the engine cylinder through the passage 9a, port 9 and the other chamber or port 11L of the valve to the ex-4 haust port 7 at that end ol the chest, the engine ypiston is -moved toward one end of ythe engine cylinderl and as the piston approachesV therend of its stroke, the lever arrangement (not shown) that is operated by spindle 16 and commences to move they auxiliary valve 12 in the same direction as the engine piston. The first movement of this valve 12 ycloses thelexhaust port-22 through which the -lower end of the valve chest, to which the main valve had been previously moved,had been in communication with the exhaust 8 by'way of the port 18, passage 18, port 18C, ports 14, passages 15 and the passage 25, ports 25 and 7a and the passage 8. The further movement of the auxiliary valve then causes 'steam'to be admitted to the lower end of the valve chest through the port 21 (which obtains steam through the port 6 and passage 23) ports and passages 14 and 15, port 18, passage18 and port 18, and simultaneously again places the upper endof the valve 11 in communication with thesteam supplyby way of port.6, passage 23,A ports-20, ports 13 and passage 15, port 117, passage 17 and port 17a; the main valve willbethus placed in equilibrium, the steam by which its final movement was effected not having been released from its upper end 2though the steam supply thereto had been temporarily cut off by the valve 12. The

auxiliary valve 12 will then .have arrived at -theendof-the slot 11b in themain valve 11 and its further movement carries the main valve forward with it until the said valve is in mid position, as shown in Fig. 2 when the engine cylinder will be closed to both steam and exhaust. During the time that the engine cylinder is thus being closed the auxiliary valve 12 is closing toA steam that end of the valve chest toward which it is traveling .by closing the port 20 and byV the time the main valve 11 is in mid position, the auxiliary valve 12 has opened the port 19 thus opening to exhaust the upper end of the valve chest by way or" port 17a, pas'- sage 17 ,port 17C, .ports 13 and passages 15, port 19,passage 24, ports 24aand 7 and pas sage 8' with the result that the movement or' lthe main valve is completedbymeans 4of the steam still acting. on itslopposite lower end. The engine piston will then make its return. stroke owing to the release of the steam which has vmovedithe engine piston .by

way ofthe passage 10s,'port 10, lower cham- Y engine cylinderirom the port'6 through the upper chamber or port 11, the .port 9 and passage 9a. During `its return stroke the piston will operate the lever .arrangement of Vthe valve spindle 16 in the opposite direetion and the distributing means will be actuated in a similar manner to lthat just described but in the opposite direction.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 to 9, v instead of the auxiliary valve being ormed with `lats and. sliding in aslot .in the main piston valve, it is of completely circular cross section and themaiirpiston valve is in two parts connected togetherby spindles or l .legson whichthe auxiliary valve is threaded nal passages 12a through vwhich the spindles 11c extend.V The spindles andrthe valve parts yhaving been Vassembled the; spindle 16 is passedup through the valve part 11X and the valve 12 and its prolonged -upper end screwed through a 'nut 40.contained in a recessin the valve 12 untilthe latter is firmly secured on-the spindleA 16,':the prolongedend of which enters .a central Arecess .inthe `part 11 as shown. Y f' Y The ports and -passagesarearranged in substantially the same manner as lnthe previously `described arrangement except that the chambersor ports 13 and 14m the auxiliary valve 12fbeingin the orniof peripheral grooves, connecting passages 15 are not 're- Vquired theworking of the parts is the same.

To insure proper balancing of both valves, where ports openl into the linerl internal annular grooves are formed in same, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. j V v Each of the exhaust passages 24, 25 in the liner may be fitted with a plug or bolt valve .t1 as shown. in Fig. 9. By adjusting these valves the areas of the passages can be adjusted and velocity of the movements of the main valve 11 by means of steam acting kon its ends thus regulated. f

In the alternative arrangement shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the main and auxiliary valves work in separate chambers which may be side by side and the auxiliary valve spindle be coupled to a spindle extending into the body of the main valve but between which and said valve there is a certain amount of lost motion to enable the auxiliary valve to eil'ect the desired distribution of steam to place the main valve in equilibrium before it is moved mechanically. Y l

Fig. 10 shows the auxiliary valve in its upper position and the main valve at ,that point in its downward stroke whenit ceases to be moved mechanically, whi1e Fig. 11 shows the auxiliary valve in the same position but with the down stroke of the main valve completed by steam acting on` its upper end; in Fig. 10 the steam inlet is indicated by dotted lines and in Fig. 11 l the exhaust, these being on opposite sides of the Aplane of the sections. The valves are both piston valves as in the just described arrangement and thespindle 16 of the auxiliary valveJ 12 is coupled through the lever 26 witha spindle 16a that extends into the separate cylindrical chamber 1a of the steamchest containing the main valve'll and formed with the ports 6 and 6a that are connected to the steam inlet branch 2 by the passage 5, with exhaus-t ports 7 and 7 1 connected to the exhaust branch 3 by the passage, and Withports 9 and 10 connected to the respective ends of the engine cylinder by way of passages 9aI and 10"?.

The spindle 16a is formed with a head that is held in a recess 42 in the main valve 11 by a bored plug il?) so as to permit of the necessary lost motion between the two valves. j

Ports and passages are arranged in a manner correspondi rangements previous y described and are marked with the samev reference numbers, and it will be observed that as the valves 11 and l2 move in opposite directions the passages 17 and 18v cross each other, the ports 17", 17c being below the middle length of the valve chest and the ports 18h 18c above while the arrangement of the ports 19, 20, 21 and 22 is reversed end for end. The ports 20, 21 are in communication with the steam supply by way of a lateral passage 5a and the ports 19 and 22 with the exhaust by a lateral passage 8a. With this arrangement of to those in the ar l coupled valves, a balance piston such as shown in the `previously described arrangements is not required.

The arrangements referred to are specially suitable for use with superheated steam and are ,described by way of example only as they may be variously modified.

The invention is applicable todirect acting steam pumps, hauling engines, towing engines, rendering engines or any other type of direct acting steam engines and by suitably arranging the portsand gear of the distributing means steam can be cut off at any part of the stroke and used expansively.

VWhat I Claim is v y 1. Means for distributing actuating fluid yin engines of the kind referred to comprising a chest having a steam inlet passage, steam admission passages .to the engine and steam exhaust passages, a main piston valve endwise movable within said chest and controlling said steam admission and exhaust passages, ka Aliner tted in vsaid chest and having two pairs of ports (17h, 17c and 18h, 18e) which respectively communicate with `spaces at oppositeends ofthe main valve, a pair of ports (20, 21) in communication with the steam supply and, nearer the ends of the liner than said pair` of ports (20, 21), two ports (19 and 22) communicating respectively through kseparate passages with the exhaust, the longitudinal distance between the ports (20 and 21) of the single pair being greater than the distance between the adjacent ports (17h, 18h) of the two pairsof ports (17h, 17C and 18", 18C) an auxiliary valve endwise movable in said liner andiormed with ports (13 and .14), and means, directly connected with the auxiliary valve and through a lost motion connection with the main valve, for imparting movement thereto from the engine *pis*l ton, the arrangement being such that one of each pair of the ports (17D, 17c and 18h, 18C) will be in communication with the respectiveports 13-and 14) in the 'auxiliary valve, when the latter is in either extreme position, the ports in the said valve in that position respectively communicating with .the steam supply. and exhaust, substantially as described. Y

2. Means fordistributing actuating fluid in enginesof the kind referred to comprising a cylindrical steam chest havinga steam inlet passage, steam admission passages to the i engine and steam exhaust passages, a liner itted in said chest having ports communicating respectively with said steam inlet, admission and exhaust passages, a main piston valve endwise movable in said liner and controlling said steam admission and exhaust ports, in said liner two pairs of ports (17, 17c and 18h, 18") which respectlvely communicate with spaces at opposite ends of the main valve, a pair of ports (20, 21) in com- 130 munication *With the steam siipplyf'and", nearer the en'd'softheline'r than saidfpair of ports (20,21), two ports (19 and 22) comnnunicatingl respectively" through* separate passages "with vthe exhaust; the longi'tl dinal distanoe'between the ports(20ad of the singlepairbeinggreater thanthedi'stance between'thel'adja'cent "Orts (17", 18") of the twop'airsfof iports (17",172 vand l18, 18) an lauxiliary valve endwise movable-in said liner and formed'withfportsrA (13"a1'id 14) and' 'Inea'nsv diree'tly" conne'tedv wifth' the auXi-liary valvel and through i a tlst motion connection with: theinain valve, for' imparting movement thereto from thengifii'e piston, the variangeirient being siieh fthatone of 'each' pair of the ports (17", 17e, and 18l",18'c`) will be in `communieationvvi'thy thel respttive ports (13 and 14) inthe auxiliary f valve, when the latter isi either extrie position, the ports"l `in- Athe said valvefin that t position respectively 'connnunidat-ingv'with 4the *steam supplyand exhaust, 'substant-ially as described.l

3.- Means for f distributing actuating Ifluid in engines ofthe kind-referred to comprising a cylindrical steam ehest'having'a steam" inflet port near fea'h-4 end; eXhaus't'ports between said inlet ports', andfbetween' the f inlet -`and exhaust p'orts `towarc'l 'each endan admission port to theengine', a linerl ,fitt'dlinlsaid Chest and having ports therethrough"to'fth said inlet, eXhaust and admission ports,4 a Vniaifn ValveY constitutedbyl'ftyvo' e'oiiiie'cte'dL pistons each having-an aniiiilar'port, said -valve'fbeing endwise movablein saidliner toy eontol 'said inlet, admissionv and ethaustliner ports,

18", 18C) whioh respectively Communicate pair being greater than-the distancebetwee'n the adjacent ports (17",18"') of'thetwpairs of ports (17h, 17, and 185,18c) anfau'xiliary valve endwise movable in said liner andQ-ltoa limited extent, between the -piston'sof the mainvalve, and 'means'dieotly connected to the auXilia'ry valve for Yimpa"rt'ing-1noVenic-3nt 'to it and ultimately to ytlie'fmain-valve from the enginefpistea; ui-sfangmet being suolifthat onez of eaeh' pairo the liner 'ports l i'ng-twpairsof' ports (117bf17c anill, 18) which resp ti've'ly Coiniiunioate with spaties at opp'o'site lends' ofthe @mainvalvea pair of pots'(20,= 21) in Communication Withlthe steam supply and, nieareifthe'l edsof the li'ne than; "salidpair of ports l (20; 21 )A ,f two ports' 191 'and f2s) Communicating L respectively thfugh Separate vpageages 'f with um exhast, theflongitdlinalf distance between theport f (QGand 21) of the single pair being geaterltlianf the distance 'between the adj aontvpoi'ts'* (11721185) of thetwofpairs of ports (17, 17C' and 18", 18C), an auXi'liary `and182,186) will` 'ein' Coifnniunioation with the restetiv'fpets '(iaiandury in the aux,

iliaiy valve,` `when'"tl'i@latter 'is in either fentremel position, the o'rts in the said valve in 'that positidn respe'otivl'y communicating the Commissvibner oflflatenc,v

passages; ayimiffiaeciinfsiuche snails-v; Y 

